Chapter 114 [VIP] Demons in the Human World (13)

Chapter 114 [VIP] Demons in the Human World (13)

The passenger door opened, and Lu He switched places with Luo Xiaoguo. After Luo Xiaoguo got out of the car, he stood there silently, watching the car speed away. Suddenly, he felt like he had been left behind, a chill welling up in his heart.

Meng Siqi was quite surprised that Lu He was going to Shanghai. She sat in the car and tried to glance backward, but since she was small and sitting behind him, they couldn’t see each other.

Lu He’s cold voice came from behind, “Zhao Leiting, are you going to Shanghai too?”

Zhao Leiting hurriedly smiled, “Captain Lu, we’re sharing a ride with you. We’re also going to Shanghai for the case.”

“Oh? Just you?”

“No, Siqi is with me.”

“Siqi is coming too?”

“Yes, Captain Lu,” Meng Siqi leaned forward a bit, raising her voice, worried that the car’s engine noise might drown out her reply. She guessed that Lu He hadn’t noticed her when he got in the car.

Cai Shuangxi, who was driving, glanced to the right. He seemed to recall Chen Jierong mentioning in the office that Meng Siqi and Zhao Leiting were carpooling. Had he not heard it correctly?

He always felt that Captain Lu had been under a lot of pressure lately. Actually, he didn’t need to make this trip. He had returned from Qingshui City late last night, interrogated Zeng Haoqiang in the morning, and was now heading to Shanghai in the afternoon, working non-stop. It had been exhausting.

Cai Shuangxi couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. But he knew that this was just Captain Lu’s way. He was stubborn and would work day and night on a case, ignoring his own health. That’s why he was the pillar of Team One.

The rest of the journey was silent. Meng Siqi closed her eyes and rested. Zhao Leiting, noticing her fatigue, remained quiet.

Before entering Shanghai, the car stopped at a gas station. Meng Siqi woke up groggily. Lu He got out of the car, and Cai Shuangxi went to buy gas tickets.

Zhao Leiting asked, “Rest area, want to wash your face? We should be in Shanghai in another hour.”

“It’s pretty fast.” Meng Siqi, with sleepy eyes, put on her jacket and pushed open the door. They had been driving for hours, and it was now dusk. Jinyang City was quite a distance from Shanghai, several hundred kilometers away.

Up ahead was a giant red sign for the rest area, indicating a place to take a break and refuel.

Meng Siqi washed her face at the rest area’s restroom and, on her way back, saw a small convenience store. She wasn’t very hungry and planned to eat something when they arrived, so she walked out of the rest area.

When she got back to the car, she noticed they hadn’t returned yet.

The night was still a bit cool, so she wrapped her arms around herself and took a short walk around the car.

“Siqi, I bought you some grilled rice cakes.” Zhao Leiting arrived first, handing her a bag.

The grilled smell immediately made her hungry. She took the bag, smiled, and said, “How thoughtful. You know what I like to eat.”

Zhao Leiting took a bite of the rice cake and laughed, “It’s been a long time. Our rapport is still number one in the police station, right?”

“That’s true,” Meng Siqi tore open the paper bag, took a bite of the rice cake, and said, “Especially when it comes to eating, we’ve never argued.”

“Yeah, that shows how good our rapport is. There’s a saying, what is it… mind-to-mind connection… eh…” Zhao Leiting, seeing a tall figure approaching from the side, immediately handed another bag in his hand over, “Captain Lu, I bought these grilled rice cakes for you. Eat them while they’re hot.”

Meng Siqi, with an oily mouth, suddenly saw Lu He approaching. Under the red light of the rest area, his eyes seemed to reflect a flame, a very intense flame. But because he was naturally cold and distant, his eyes showed a blend of ice and fire.

He didn’t say anything, took the grilled rice cakes from Zhao Leiting, and didn’t eat them right away.

Zhao Leiting reminded him, “Captain Lu, if you don’t eat it now, it’ll get cold.”

Lu He handed a large bag to Zhao Leiting, “I bought some bread at the supermarket. There wasn’t any other healthy food, so you and Siqi can have these for the road.”

Zhao Leiting took the bag, “Captain Lu, you’re too thoughtful. This is quite a lot. I’ll share it in the car later.”

Meng Siqi also felt it was a bit too much, and at that moment, Lu He looked over at her. Meng Siqi smiled at him gratefully. Lu He's expression remained cold, his thin lips pressed tightly together.

After ten minutes or so, Cai Shuangxi hurriedly finished fueling the car and called out for everyone to get in the car. Zhao Leiting took a step and opened the front passenger door. "Captain Lu, want to switch seats? I’ll share some food with him."

Lu He stood in the night for a few seconds before replying, "Sure."

Meng Siqi moved to the other side to get in the car, and just as she got on, Lu He opened the door too. Their eyes met again, and his cold gaze fell on her face. Meng Siqi slowly looked away.

Sitting next to Lu He reminded her of the last time they watched a romantic movie, making everything feel a bit different. She deliberately looked out the window, gazing at the red lights in the night sky.

"Siqi, want some bread?" Zhao Leiting asked from the front seat.

"Oh, no thanks. The rice cake was enough. Is there any tissue in the car?" Her mouth was still greasy.

"There's tissue," Cai Shuangxi said, "Zhao Leiting, can you grab it from the glove box?"

Zhao Leiting took out a tissue box and stretched it to the back seat. Meng Siqi took a tissue, and as she was about to take another one, her hand happened to touch Lu He's fingers—he was reaching for a tissue too.

Their fingers briefly touched, and Meng Siqi immediately pulled her hand back. His fingers were distinctly jointed and slender, almost as if they carried a scorching temperature.

"After you," they both said simultaneously, and looked at each other again. This time, Meng Siqi noticed that Lu He’s mouth was also greasy, reflecting a shiny glow under the light coming in from the window. His usually cold, thin lips now appeared fuller, even exuding a mix of sensuality and restraint.

However, Lu He also looked at her lips. Her greasy, subtly red lips gave off a sensual vibe. Even though Meng Siqi usually dressed in a simple and neat manner, at that moment, she seemed to carry an enticing aura.

They looked at each other for a few seconds before both turning their heads away simultaneously.

Meng Siqi felt a slight warmth in her cheeks and decided not to take another tissue. Instead, she gently wiped her mouth with the tissue she had taken.

As Cai Shuangxi drove, he called out, "Zhao Leiting, stop dilly-dallying. Give me something to eat; I’m starving!"

Zhao Leiting quickly tore open the bread, "The rice cake is cold, forget it. Have some bread instead." He handed the opened bread to Cai Shuangxi.

Cai Shuangxi, holding the steering wheel with one hand and the bread with the other, took a bite. "Too sweet. Zhao Leiting, you’re a grown man and you like sweet stuff?"

"This is cheese. What do you know? Girls like cheese."

"I’m not a girl."

"Eat if you want. It’s not like I bought it."

Suddenly, Lu He cleared his throat, "I bought it. It was the only kind left at the supermarket."

"Oh, so Captain Lu bought it. I thought someone bought it specially for Meng."

Meng Siqi: "..."

Lu He cleared his throat again and didn’t say anything more, his head slightly turned towards the car window.

The journey continued in silence once more. After washing her face, Meng Siqi had no sleepiness at all. She had been investigating the disappearance of the female textile workers and had never forgotten Ruan Mengying's case. She hesitated but finally asked, "Captain Lu, is this trip to Shanghai because of Ruan Mengying's case?"

Ruan Mengying had been diagnosed with cancer, and Chen Jierong had conducted a technical exchange in Shanghai recently, so Meng Siqi naturally thought this trip was related to Ruan Mengying.

Lu He turned his head, his eyes not directly looking at her but seemingly observing her with his peripheral vision. His voice was low and magnetic, "Yes, Chen Jierong found information that Ruan Mengying might have been diagnosed in Shanghai. This could be a major breakthrough for the case."

"Are you saying Ruan Mengying came to Shanghai?"

"Yes. If Ruan Mengying came to Shanghai and was diagnosed with the illness," Lu He's tone slowed a little, "this case might become more complicated."

Meng Siqi, having been involved in criminal investigations for some time and participating in Ruan Mengying's case, suddenly understood what Lu He meant by "complicated." Because Ruan Mengying knew she had a terminal illness, her death might have different causes. Originally, everyone thought Ruan Mengying might have been murdered, but it's also possible that Ruan Mengying committed suicide. If she did, the case indeed became more complicated, as the "killer" would be even harder to trace.

Now that Li Mu Xiao has eliminated his alibi for the time of Ruan Mengying's death, he cannot do the same for the time of the dismemberment. If Ruan Mengying committed suicide, why would Li Mu Xiao dismember her body? Or could it be that someone else dismembered her, and Li Mu Xiao was merely the one who delivered the body to the museum?

This matter made Meng Siqi feel increasingly puzzled. Though she had withdrawn from Ruan Mengying's case, she was still eager to learn more about the unknown details. Of course, Lu He wouldn't elaborate in the car, but she was confident that he had everything under control and would solve the case.

"By the way, is it because of the Alzheimer's case?" This time, Lu He turned his head sharply, his eyes calm and clear, gazing at Meng Siqi's face.

Meng Siqi slightly shifted her gaze away from his. "Yes, we're not entirely sure if Yao Renjun's symptoms indicate Alzheimer's. Sis Rong recommended a professor to us, hoping to resolve our doubts."

"Where is the address you're heading to?"

Meng Siqi remembered the address on the business card and relayed it. Lu He said, "Hmm, it seems to be quite nearby."

Meng Siqi felt that the addresses of the two expert professors were probably near the university where Chen Jierong worked, so they shouldn't be too far apart.

"Cai Shuangxi," Lu He instructed, "drive to the address Siqi mentioned. We'll find a hotel there."

"No problem, Captain Lu," Cai Shuangxi replied.

"Captain Lu," Zhao Leiting chimed in with praise at the right moment, "you're much more caring than our Captain Han!"

Cai Shuangxi laughed. "Zhao Leiting, you're flattering him so much, aren't you afraid I'll tell Captain Han later?"

"Tell him if you want, and let him know the difference between him and Captain Lu."

Cai Shuangxi laughed again. "If you say this, Captain Lu will definitely feel pleased."

Meng Siqi couldn't help but smile. She knew Zhao Leiting was joking, but she also knew that Lu He was intentionally taking care of them. Lu He had already turned his face away, and she could only catch a glimpse of his profile, which, under the streetlights, resembled the silhouette of mountains.

At around seven o'clock, as a dazzling array of neon lights filled the car window, Meng Siqi knew they had arrived in downtown Shanghai.

Shanghai was not unfamiliar to her. This modern metropolis will stand even more majestically in eastern China and the world in thirty years.

Because it was a modern city, the probability of diagnosing and treating diseases here was much higher than in a prefecture-level city like Jinyang City.

Thus, Chen Jierong's suggestion could play a crucial role in solving the cases for both Team One and Team Two.

The car drove all the way to the address Meng Siqi mentioned, which was a district-level hospital where Professor Lü, mentioned by Chen Jierong, worked in the Department of Neurology.

Cai Shuangxi parked the car near a guesthouse close to the hospital. Meng Siqi got out of the car with her luggage, and everyone headed towards the entrance of the guesthouse. The receptionist at the front desk smiled politely and asked, "Would you like to stay the night?"

Lu He said, "Four single rooms."

Cai Shuangxi suggested, "Captain Lu, how about Shuangxi and I share a double room?"

Zhao Leiting replied with a reluctant tone, "Sure, that works."

The expenses for the trip needed to be reimbursed by the bureau, so everyone wanted to save some money.

The receptionist said, "I'm sorry, we only have two double rooms left. Would you like to book them?"

Everyone looked at each other. With two double rooms and four people, including one woman, the housing arrangement suddenly became a dilemma. Zhao Leiting, quick to speak, said, "Captain Lu, I've got it figured out. I'll stay with Shuangxi."

As soon as he said this, everyone understood the implication: would Lu He and Meng Siqi have to share a room?

Meng Siqi, feeling shy, was embarrassed, but since Zhao Leiting hadn't directly mentioned it, she couldn't refute him.

Lu He, who had been expressionless, now had a flicker in his eyes, indicating a slight change in emotion. He shifted his gaze away from Meng Siqi and remained silent.

Cai Shuangxi looked at Lu He, then at Meng Siqi, and frowned. "This doesn't seem quite appropriate, does it?"

Zhao Leiting asked, "What’s not right?"

"It’s not suitable for Brother Lu and Xiao Meng to stay together."

Meng Siqi felt even more embarrassed and lowered her head slightly. Lu He seemed amused, saying, "Cai Shuangxi, I don't know how you got into the police academy."

"Ah?" Cai Shuangxi was taken aback and said earnestly, "What I meant is, it's not appropriate for the two of you to stay together. If word gets back, it won’t look good. So, should we change hotels?"

Zhao Leiting nodded, suppressing a smile, and agreed. At that moment, the phone on the front desk rang. The receptionist picked it up, "Hello, this is Jinxiu Road Youth Hostel. Are you calling about accommodation? We have two double rooms available, but there are guests currently inquiring. Please hold on for a moment..."

"We’ll take it," Lu He said without hesitation. "I’ll sleep on the floor, and you two can take the bed."

Cai Shuangxi became anxious again, "Brother Lu, that’s not appropriate either."

"We can save some money."

On the way to their rooms, they continued to argue about who would sleep on the floor. Meng Siqi found her room, a short distance from theirs. Lu He stopped in his tracks, "Siqi, lock the door; there’s a chain latch behind it. Also, check the windows."

Meng Siqi nodded, smiled slightly, and bid them goodnight.

After closing the door, Meng Siqi finally felt like she could shake off the fatigue of the journey. She lay on the bed with white linens for a while.

Occasionally, she would recall Cai Shuangxi’s serious remark, "It’s not appropriate to stay together." She didn’t think Cai Shuangxi meant any harm. He probably saw Lu He as naturally insulated from women, someone whose relationship with girls would forever remain that of a comrade-in-arms.

Several minutes later, Zhao Leiting knocked on the door, "Siqi, Lu Ge said we should go out to eat something. He’s treating."

Meng Siqi had eaten a bread roll in the car and wasn’t very hungry, but it wouldn’t be appropriate to stay behind alone. She quickly tidied up and opened the door. The three of them were standing there.

The hostel’s entrance was still bustling with many street vendors. Lu He, hands in his jacket pockets, walked slowly ahead and stopped in front of a seafood restaurant, "Do you eat seafood? Siqi?"

Meng Siqi didn’t have many restrictions on seafood. She knew this area was near the coast on the west side of Shanghai, so the seafood should be relatively cheap and fresh.

"I’m fine with it. I don’t eat much."

"Zhao Leiting, you order," Lu He said.

Zhao Leiting, looking at the clams on the ground illuminated by the lights, said, "Brother Lu, I’m ordering then."

The four of them sat around a small square table at the entrance of the street vendor. Within ten to twenty minutes, several plates of freshly stir-fried seafood were served. Cai Shuangxi ordered a bottle of drinks, filled everyone’s cups, and called out, "Zhao Leiting, you’ve ordered a feast. Let’s eat, Brother Lu."

Everyone started eating, and Meng Siqi felt the dryness in her stomach instantly filled by the fresh food.

Zhao Leiting didn’t forget to toast Lu He and Cai Shuangxi with his drink, thanking them for bringing him to Shanghai. Cai Shuangxi said, "Your words are redundant."

Meng Siqi picked up her cup, and looking in Lu He's direction, she said, "Lu..." She remembered that when outside, especially in crowded places, it was better to avoid using their unit's designations, so she quickly changed her words, "Lu He..."

"Siqi..." Lu He also picked up his cup. The colorful lights of the alley reflected in his eyes, but the black part of his eyes was purely bright, mirroring Meng Siqi’s smiling face.

Meng Siqi had never imagined that one day she would be drinking with Lu He in a noisy alley filled with clinking glasses and loud chatter, at a humble street vendor that symbolized the most basic happiness in life.

She often recalled how Lu He had appeared in her memories over the past thirty years, but his current appearance was so vivid. She wondered if the cool breeze had brought a slight moisture to her eyes, making her feel like this wasn’t the real world.

She didn’t know if, years later, when she recalled this scene, Lu He would still be the same.